UK continues to operate reconnaissance planes over Gaza: 'Goal is to locate hostages'
The UK newspaper The Times reported Tuesday that the British military continues to operate spy planes over the Gaza Strip "with the aim of locating the hostages who have not yet been released." The British claim that intelligence is being transferred to Israel only for the purposes of rescuing the hostages, but British Major General (res.) Since October 7, the Times reported, British reconnaissance aircraft have been flying almost daily sorties over Gaza, gathering sensitive intelligence on ground movements. The intelligence, it is claimed, is transferred to Israel under British supervision, and solely for the purpose of rescuing the hostages. The IDF refused to comment on the report, and the British Ministry of Defense said: "Since December 2023, unarmed IAF reconnaissance aircraft have been flying over Gaza with the sole purpose of locating abductees.
Source:The Times
August 05, 2025 20:02 UTC
Stella Rimington, First Woman to Lead U.K.’s MI5, Dies at 90
Stella Rimington, who battled a fiercely protective old boy’s network to become the first woman to lead MI5, Britain’s domestic intelligence service, and whose tenure as the country’s spymaster was widely seen as an inspiration for James Bond’s first female boss in the movie franchise, died on Sunday. She was 90. The Security Service announced her death in a statement on Monday without specifying the cause or place of death. In her nearly 30-year career in MI5, Ms. Rimington faced obstacles in that male-dominated world every step of the way, even into her retirement, when she was chastised by intelligence veterans for publishing memoirs that, in the end, turned out to be revealing of her career path but not much else. When she was appointed in 1992 to head MI5, Ms. Rimington drew skepticism from longtime observers of the intelligence community, many of them men.
Source:The Times
August 05, 2025 19:24 UTC
Spy war at sea? Moscow alleges UK planning shadow fleet strikes; Nato named
Russia claims UK-NATO planning attack on 'shadow fleet'Russia’s foreign intelligence service alleged United Kingdom of planning attacks on its “shadow fleet” oil tankers. A report published by The Telegraph cited claims from Moscow’s foreign intelligence service (SVR), alleging that British intelligence is plotting to target Russian ships which are used by Russia to trade oil.The SVR report stated, “British intelligence services are planning to use NATO allies to launch a mass raid on the ‘shadow fleet’; for this purpose, an ecological catastrophe in international waters is being prepared.”The report accused British intelligence of planning to stage the attacks in a manner that mimics accidental disasters, with the goal of triggering environmental catastrophes and using the fallout to justify further NATO-led actions against Russia.However, experts suggest otherwise that Russia might be laying the groundwork for a 'false flag' operation of its own. The strategy could allow Kremlin to carry out attacks on its own fleet and attribute them to the UK or its NATO partners.Dr Sidharth Kaushal, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), told The Telegraph: “One interpretation might be that the Russians are insuring themselves against something breaking down or sinking, in a way that creates a pretext for restricting [their movement across the ocean].”Analysts suggest that by framing the West for potential attacks, Russia may be preparing a casus belli — a justification for expanding naval or military operations, or for sowing discord within the NATO alliance.At least six tankers have reportedly suffered unexplained explosions since the beginning of the year, with all incidents occurring in Russian ports. Some of the affected vessels were transporting Russian oil. While suspicion has largely fallen on Ukraine, the pattern of the attacks has also raised the possibility of internal sabotage.
Source:The Times
August 05, 2025 18:59 UTC
Bonta says millions spent, but billions saved, in California’s legal war with Trump
Rob Bonta said Monday that his office has spent more than $5 million fighting the Trump administration in court over the last six months, but saved the state nearly $170 billion. California Newsom approves millions for immigrant aid and lawsuits against Trump California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed legislation to provide $25 million for lawsuits against the Trump administration and $25 million largely to support immigrants. They also challenged Trump administration efforts to end birthright citizenship for the U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants and restrict voting access in California, among other things. California sued the first Trump administration more than 120 times, and knew it would need to sue the second Trump administration too.
Source:The Times
August 05, 2025 18:32 UTC
California cannabis firm raided by ICE unveils big labor changes to avoid a repeat
Glass House Farms, one of the state’s largest cannabis operations, was the site of a July 10 immigration raid in Camarillo. Glass House Brands announced it had “terminated its relationship” with the two farm labor contractors who had provided workers to the cannabis greenhouse operations in Camarillo and Carpinteria. Across the wider world of legal cannabis, people were also shaken. AdvertisementSome farm labor advocates were unimpressed by the company’s announcement of revamped labor practices, saying it was farmworkers who would pay the price. The source said the farm labor contractors had been paid and should have released wages to all the workers.
Source:The Times
August 05, 2025 18:06 UTC
Can the U.S. deport someone who’s lived here for 30 years without an immigration hearing?
AdvertisementCo Tupul’s lawyers said they provided extensive evidence of her longtime residence and were told she would remain in expedited removal proceedings anyway. Federal law since 1996 allows the government to place immigrants in expedited removal proceedings if they have lived in the U.S. for under two years. Under regular deportation proceedings, immigrants are entitled to plead their case before an immigration judge, with rights to appeal. AdvertisementUnder expedited removal, the immigration court process is bypassed and immigrants cannot appeal, though they are entitled to an asylum screening. Use of expedited removal was expanded again in June 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, to those present in the U.S. for under two years.
Source:The Times
August 05, 2025 17:38 UTC
Ozzy Osbourne Died of a Heart Attack, Death Certificate Shows
Ozzy Osbourne, the heavy metal and reality television star, died of a heart attack and had suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s, according to a death certificate filed at a registry in London. The document, which was submitted by Osbourne’s daughter Aimée Osbourne, lists cardiac arrest and coronary artery disease among the causes, noting that he had Parkinson’s disease. Osbourne’s occupation is recorded as “Songwriter, Performer and Rock Legend.”The certificate says Osbourne died of “(a) Out of hospital cardiac arrest (b) Acute myocardial infarction (c) Coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease with autonomic dysfunction (Joint Causes).” The New York Times obtained the document on Tuesday. On July 22, the day of Osbourne’s death, an air ambulance flew to the singer’s home near the village of Chalfont St. Giles in Buckinghamshire, England.
Source:The Times
August 05, 2025 17:21 UTC
Newcastle United back in for Marc Guehi – The Times
Transfer NewsNewcastle United back in for Marc Guehi – The TimesNewcastle United are now trying to sign Marc Guehi. A saga throughout August 2024 ended unsuccessfully, Newcastle United reported to have put in a number of bids but Marc Guehi ended up staying at Selhurst Park. Marc Guehi has also continued to refuse to sign all attempts from Crystal Palace to sign a new extended contract. The Times say that Crystal Palace are trying to hold out for £50m but Newcastle United are willing to go no higher than £40m. The report saying that United are prepared to leave it late in this transfer window to land Marc Guehi, in order to keep the price down.
Source:The Times
August 05, 2025 16:36 UTC
Hilton New York, Times Square
The best of both worlds, the Hilton New York, Times Square is an oasis away from the hub of the Times Square area, while the central location gives easy access to many of New York’s main attractions. After a speedy check-in, another set of lifts take us to our room on the 40th floor, where the views get even better. The facilitiesThe large lobby area has plenty of places to sit, and a buzzy bar which also sells snacks. Breakfast in the High Rise Buffet is a recommended option, to set yourself up for a day in the city. Book itLead in price $259 per night and can go up to $1400 over New Years Eve for Ball drop view rooms.
Source:The Times
August 05, 2025 15:43 UTC
Tommy Robinson, Far-Right UK Activist, Is Arrested Over Train Station Assault
Tommy Robinson, a far-right, anti-immigrant agitator in Britain, was arrested on Monday night on suspicion of assaulting a man at St. Pancras train station in London. Mr. Robinson, 42, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was taken into custody at Luton Airport, northeast of London, as he returned from Portugal. The British police never confirm the identity of a person who has not been formally charged, but the British Transport Police said in a statement that a 42-year-old man from Bedfordshire had been arrested in connection with a July 28 assault at St. Pancras station. The man has been released on bail until Sept. 2, they said in response to a query from The New York Times on Tuesday that specifically named Tommy Robinson. Video footage published by The Sun, a British newspaper, showed Mr. Robinson being met by police officers as he disembarked from a plane and then being escorted into a van.
Source:The Times
August 05, 2025 14:27 UTC
Newspaper headlines: Farage 'fanning the flames' and England's 'one-armed warrior'
The Sun reports that Jay Blades, former presenter of the BBC's Repair Shop programme, has been charged with two counts of rape, external. He fronted the programme for seven years before stepping back last year. The story is also the lead for the Daily Mirror, but it quotes Labour MP Mike Tapp as saying that Farage is "fanning the flames of hate" with his comments, external, and is a "fake patriot". The Treasury said the use of prepayment schemes had been factored into forecasts for how much money would be raised by the tax. "Pain in vain for England's one-armed warrior", was how the Telegraph summed it up., external
Source:The Times
August 05, 2025 14:23 UTC
Inside Manchester United’s US tour: less running and impressive signings
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Source:The Times
August 05, 2025 13:08 UTC
Blocking Access to Harmful Content Will Not Protect Children Online, No Matter How Many Times UK Politicians Say So
Yet politicians in the UK pushed ahead and enacted one of the most contentious age verification mandates that we’ve seen. The case of safety online is not solved through technology alone. Here are five reasons why:Age Verification Systems Lead to Less PrivacyMandatory age verification tools are surveillance systems that threaten everyone’s rights to speech and privacy. Some politicians in the Labour Party argued that a ban on VPNs will be essential to prevent users circumventing age verification checks. Alongside increased VPN usage, a petition calling for the repeal of the Online Safety Act recently hit more than 400,000 signatures.
Source:The Times
August 05, 2025 12:38 UTC
Sona Comstar saga: Rani Kapur seeks UK probe into Sunjay Kapur's mysterious death
Live Events(You can now subscribe to our(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channelLondon: In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing feud within the influential Sona Comstar family, the mysterious death of Sunjay Kapur has now triggered international scrutiny. RKapur, Sunjay's mother and former Chairperson of Sona Comstar, has formally approached UK authorities, seeking a comprehensive probe into the unexplained circumstances surrounding her son's death in London.Sources connected with the matter confirmed that an official criminal complaint has been filed with UK authorities. "Reflecting on the formative years of Sona Comstar, she recalled the sacrifices and vision that built the company. It must be passed on, as my husband always wanted it to be," she stated.Due to her advancing age and fragile health, Rani Kapur said she would refrain from further public comment. Despite her request to postpone the Annual General Meeting, the company proceeded with it as scheduled.In response, Sona Comstar has served Rani Kapur with a legal notice , demanding she cease spreading what the company calls "false and damaging information."
Source:The Times
August 05, 2025 11:51 UTC
When will team India next play a cricket match? Full list of upcoming tournaments and series
Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam 01:30 PM Dec 09, Tue India vs South Africa, 1st T20I Barabati Stadium, Cuttack 07:00 PM Dec 11, Thu India vs South Africa, 2nd T20I Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh 07:00 PM Dec 14, Sun India vs South Africa, 3rd T20I Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala 07:00 PM Dec 17, Wed India vs South Africa, 4th T20I Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow 07:00 PM Dec 19, Fri India vs South Africa, 5th T20I Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad 07:00 PM(You can now subscribe to our(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channelFollowing the exciting England Test series, team India will get a rare break, with no Test or limited-overs scheduled until the Asia Cup, which starts in September in the UAE.A gap of more than 30 days has been uncommon for the Indian team in the recent years. The break, however, is because India and Bangladesh mutually agreed to postpone their white-ball series scheduled in the third week of August.India will play their first Asia Cup match against the UAE on September 10 in UAE, followed by the clash against Pakistan on September 14. The second match will be held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi from October 10.Only five days after the West Indies series ends, India will travel to Australia and play an ODI at Perth as part of a limited-overs tour of Australia. India are scheduled to play three ODIs, followed by a five-match T20 International series.Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are expected to return to action in the ODI series in Australia. The 50-over format remains the only one from which both players have not yet retired.Later in the year, defending World Test champions South Africa are set to visit India for a full tour featuring two Tests, three ODIs and five T20I across November and December.
Source:The Times
August 05, 2025 11:50 UTC